The ‘Bernie’ Project
The Bernie Project was designed and created by the young people of Tonypandy Community College to help reduce the number of deliberate grass fires during the Easter Holiday period. Grass fires have had a huge impact on the local community and environment and are very difficult to tackle. Sometimes your local fire appliance will be at a deliberate grass fire incident when they also need to go and deal with other incidents such as a house fire or road traffic collisions.
Do you realise the consequences of deliberately setting fires to the mountains and countryside?
Setting deliberate grass fires will get you a criminal record for life.
If you are caught deliberately setting grass fires you could be punished with up to two years in prison
or receive a £5,000 fine.
By working with the young people who live and study in Tonypandy we have developed a programme of different activities that young people will want to attend. ‘Bernie’ the Sheep is now a very popular mascot for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service and attends all our roadshows.
The Bernie Project is a partnership approach between South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, the Forestry Commission, Cardiff University, Rhondda Cynon Taff (RCT) Community Safety Partnerships, South Wales Police, RCT Trading Standards, Communities First, Probation Services, RCT Close Circuit Television and E3.
If you deliberately start grass fires be prepared to ‘Face the consequences’.